Honey

Today we added another member to the family.

For Amelia and Tom's birthdays (June 4th and 19th) Pa, Nana, Poppy, Great grandad Eric and Scott and I purchased the most adorable puppy.

After falling in love with it yesterday, I begged and pleaded that the children would love it.

They were going to get junk anyway that will never be played with so why not have something that is a constant companion.

I grew up with animals constantly in our house.
Cats, dogs, terripins and fish.
The cats and dogs became my best friends, cuddle toys at night and something that just with a pat down the back was an instant calmative.
The first cat mum and dad bought was 12 months before I was born.
I have extremely loving memories of Siam(cat), Tinkerbell(cat), Candy(dog), Tammy(dog), Sam(dog), Casey (cat) and Jordan (cat).
So as you can see my whole childhood always consisted of at least 2 cats and 1 dog.

I loved it.
So I want my children to be surrounded with animals too.
Animals do not argue, hurt your feelings or upset you.
They give you affection, loyalty and endless love and trust.
Animals teach children to be gentle, caring and kind.
They teach children responsibility and looking after someone who cannot look after themselves.

Family pets never let you feel lonely.

We have chosen a breed that we have never heard of before.
A GROODLE.
A cross between a Golden Retriever and a standard poodle.
Their name used to be Golden doodles.
Thank goodness they changed that name.
Could just see Tom going to school today and telling his teacher he has a Golden doodle !!!

After looking for a suitable pet for 7 months I think we may have finally found it.
I found 2 websites in Australia and the UK that described them as the new animal for people with disabilities.
They are described as highly intelligent,active and playful, do not shed hair and a very gentle nature.
Active for Tom, gentle for Amelia.
They can be trained as well if not better than my favorite breed, the Labrador.

It is an extra workload...........but it is a good one and a distraction.
While the kids are at school I will have a companion.
I will also have to walk HER daily so I may be able to lose some of my "donut fat".

Choosing which puppy from the litter was easy.
No arguments.
Scott, Amelia and Tom instantly fell in love with the lighter golden one.
I wanted one of the tan coloured pups (there were 4 tan).
Majority rules, so I lost.
I didn't mind at the time and still don't.
They were all gorgeous.
Amelia chose the bed and each child chose a toy.
Tom gets to choose the colar and lead.

The name was difficult.
We were able to convince Tom that "mojo" was not going to win.
I was reading out names and Amelia jumped at HONEY.
Tom was not going to agree.
Now he wanted Goldie.
But with Scott, Amelia and I liking HONEY we needed Tom to agree.
No majority rules here.
If  we cannot get Tom to agree then there will be the biggest tantrum and we will never hear the end of it.

Our solution ?
I asked Scott loudly "Didn't there used to be a Melbourne Football player with the surname Honey?".
SOLD.
There is no "honey" player but that doesn't matter does it ?
(smack back of hand BAD MOTHER).

Photo's will have to come later because my computer will not let me upload them right now.

xxx

Awesome, awesome and awesome.

Very Interesting.
The hompage on this blog has changed since I was last on here.
There is now a very bold section telling me how many comments I have received since I began writing.

Comments ?
I did not know anyone had written comments !!!

I have just had the pleasure of reading messages from total strangers about specific blog entries.

Thank you.
I apologise for not replying but I have never been made aware of them until tonight !!

I have been very fortunate to regularly read comments on Facebook (where I "share" my entries on Amelia's Project page), inbox messages and text messages.

They remind me that I am not going crazy.
While I have always been an emotional person, I have been very careful to make sure I stay "sane" and "in control" during our unique situation.
By writing my thoughts and feelings, there is a chance that anyone following my entries may at times feel I am losing the plot.
But by writing it down it is like "cleansing" my mind.

I will now move on to my original thoughts for tonight.........

Awesome weekend.
- Tom's basketball game.
After watching him repeatedly tackle children while on the court I have told Scott we may have to explain the difference between Basketball and Football.
- Speech Therapy for Amelia.
This week we discussed Amelia's struggle to be understood.
The energy put into talking and then people asking her to repeat it because they cannot understand.
The failed efforts to participate in conversation and people not acknowledging that Amelia would like to say something.
Very difficult discussion to have because Amelia got upset about it, but one that was needed to address the issue and put "plans into place" for the future.
- Aromatherapy Party at a beautiful friend's house.
I am falling in love with the wonder of "smell" and how it can change the mood in a room full of people, help me sleep and even assist me to feel energised for the day ahead.
Amelia insisted on coming with me because she is experiencing separation anxiety quite strongly when away from me.
She was happy when she has taken into the child's bedroom at this gorgeous home and there were mermaids and One Direction on the walls !!!
- Birthday Party.
Amelia attended her first party with children from her special school class.
It was wonderful for her to see the children out of the classroom environment and I was grateful to finally meet the wonderful parents of these children.
Thank you Ryan for asking Amelia.

Above is everything we did during the day on Saturday.
To say Amelia was exhausted is an understatement !

Now onto Saturday night...........
- Trivia Night for our local Rotary Club.
They donated money to Amelia's mainstream school last year so that they could by an E book for all the special needs children to share.
I thought it approapriate that I support them in their fundraising efforts.
(The fact I still owe them money for the ticket is irrelevent !!).

And finally I finished the evening off with the Baxter mum's.
This group of mum's have been friends since our children all started school together.
Amelia has since left that school but I am very lucky to still have the friendships.

Imagine.......wine and pictionary.
I have never played that game before and I am sure it will never be AS funny again BUT byt the time I came home my chest, my ribs and my face were aching from the laughter.
We were laughing till we were crying.
Despite having so much on that day and being soooo tired I am so glad I went.

I do not think I will ever live down the moment when "wind" escaped my body very loudly.
Yes people, I farted.
But the laughter and tears that occured for the next 30 minutes were something I have not experienced in a long time.
It is also good to know that even women of our age can laugh hysterically at a fart noise !!!!

And finally today.
A wonderfully, beautiful lazy day.
Tom watched footy.
Amelia tried her best to build with lego.
Scott slept and I sat in front of our fire.

The peace was broken when Tom remembered that I SAID (his words) he could go to the neighbours on Sunday and sell the school fundraising chocolates.
I was trying to get out of it and convince him to postpone it until he showed me these pieces of paper in his hand.
He had written receipts.
Little pieces of paper with $ signs and random letters and numbers.
He had 50 of them for 50 chocolates.

Amelia in the wheelchair holding the chocolates and Tom knocking on peoples doors and being an AWESOME salesman.
He sold 50 chocolates in 30 minutes.
Some people were buying 10 at a time.
And yes, he gave everyone his gorgeous receipts.
I am so very, very glad that I went.
I came home so proud of his confidence and ability to communicate to strangers.

Amelia celebrates her 9th birthday in 8 days.
So this week will be spent planning and preparing a special day for an extra special girl.....

xxx